Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss is granted as the evidence shows in-service noise exposure and current hearing impairment.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration, as there is insufficient evidence to determine eligibility for accrued benefits or service connection for the cause of death. The appellant must provide clear documentation regarding her educational pursuits after reaching the age of 18 years.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been reopened. The Board found that the evidence is new and material, allowing the reopening of these claims. However, the claim for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there was no probative medical evidence showing it was incurred in service or within a presumptive period after discharge. Service connection for tinnitus was granted based on the Veteran's credible assertions of its occurrence during service.

The Board has determined that a new VA examination is needed to assess the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability, as the last VA examination was in March 2015 and the Veteran reported worsening symptoms since then. The matter is therefore being remanded for this purpose.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to service, resulting in a grant of service connection.,Service connection is granted for the Veteran's tinea versicolor with an assigned rating of 10 percent.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 40 percent for bilateral hearing loss needs to be remanded due to unclear speech discrimination test results from private audiological evaluations.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is now rated at 100 percent effective December 3, 2018. This decision grants a higher rating for his disability.

The Board has dismissed the motion alleging clear and unmistakable error (CUE) in the August 2012 rating decision because it is not final with respect to the denial of service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability. The case is remanded due to the failure to issue an SOC.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional evidence regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus claims. The claims will be reconsidered after obtaining the Veteran's complete service records.

The Veteran's hemorrhoids are granted a 20% rating, and the hearing loss case is remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is granted as service connected due to in-service noise exposure without hearing protection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations of his bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and diabetic neuropathy are being remanded due to the submission of new and material evidence. Additionally, a VA examination is needed to assess the current severity of his lower extremity peripheral neuropathy.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the preponderance of evidence does not show the Veteran's current disability was caused by active service noise exposure.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as he does not meet the criteria for a disability under VA regulations.

The Veteran's petition to reopen a finally denied claim of service connection for hearing loss is granted. The Board finds the evidence sufficient to raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim, as it provides evidence of current disability and causation which was absent at the time of the prior denial. Service connection for tinnitus remains remanded.

The Veteran's claims for initial compensable evaluations for hearing loss, malaria, and PTSD were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation in any of these cases.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The Board has remanded these cases for further development.

The Board has denied service connection for vertigo and initial compensable disability ratings for bilateral hearing loss, sinusitis, and headaches. The appeal is remanded due to the need for updated VA treatment records and examinations.

Your appeals for service connection of hearing loss and tinnitus have been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.